Sodium-Free Potassium Humate
Where Sodium Is the Problem, This Is the Humate to Use
K₂O 15% min
Sodium 1% max
Code JFHA-KHA-SF
Flake or powder · 65% humic acid · 15% K₂O · sodium under 1% · 100% water soluble
Product Overview
Sodium-Free Potassium Humate is a high-analysis soluble humate made without any sodium in the reaction — the alkali used is potassium hydroxide throughout, so there is no sodium to carry through into the finished product.
The specification is our strongest: 65% minimum humic acid, 15% minimum K₂O, sodium held under 1%, and 100% water solubility. It is available as a 60–80 mesh powder or a 2–4 mm flake, at the same specification.
Why does sodium matter? Standard potassium humate is made with KOH, but sodium humate is made with NaOH — and cheaper production routes, or shared equipment, leave sodium in the product. Sodium is the ion that damages soil structure, disperses clay, and accumulates in closed systems that have no leaching fraction. In three situations that is a serious problem:
- Hydroponics and closed irrigation loops, where sodium has nowhere to go and builds up over a season.
- Saline–sodic soils, where the last thing the ground needs is more sodium.
- Sodium-sensitive crops — many fruit and nut crops accumulate sodium in leaf tissue.
If none of those apply, standard grades do the same job for less money, and we will say so.
Sodium-Free Potassium Humate is a specification you buy when sodium is genuinely the constraint, not a general upgrade.
Key Benefits
Sodium held under 1%, tested per batch
Not a claim — an actual tested value on every COA, measured against NY/T 1972. Standard potassium humate can carry several percent sodium without anyone declaring it, because there is no requirement to.
Highest humic analysis in the range
65% minimum humic acid against 60% on our standard soluble grades, with 70% minimum organic matter. The most concentrated soluble humate we produce.
15% K₂O — a real potassium contribution
Against 10% on standard grades. In a formulation where potassium is already being paid for, the extra K₂O has measurable value.
Safe for closed systems
In hydroponics and recirculating systems sodium accumulates because there is no leaching. This grade allows long running without the sodium build-up that forces a system dump.
The correct choice on sodic ground
Sodic soil is damaged by sodium dispersing clay and destroying structure. Adding sodium to it is actively counterproductive; this grade adds none.
Two physical forms, one specification
60–80 mesh powder or 2–4 mm flake at identical specification — choose based on your handling, not on availability.
Technical Specification
| Parameter | Specification | Test standard |
|---|---|---|
| Humic acid (dry basis) | 65.0% min | HG/T 3278-2011 |
| Potassium as K₂O (dry basis) | 15.0% min | GB/T 33804-2017 |
| Sodium as Na⁺ (dry basis) | 1.0% max | NY/T 1972-2010 |
| Organic matter (dry basis) | 70.0% min | NY 525-2012 |
| Water solubility (dry basis) | 100% min | HG/T 3278-2018 |
| Moisture | 15.0% max | HG/T 3278-2011 |
| pH (1:100) | 9.0 – 10.0 | GB/T 33804-2017 |
| Fineness | 60 – 80 mesh / 2 – 4 mm flake | NY/T 3034 |
| Appearance | Black powder or flake | Visual |
| Product code | JFHA-KHA-SF | — |
Specification values are guaranteed minimums on a dry basis, taken from the batch Certificate of Analysis and tested against the stated Chinese industry standards. Every shipment travels with its own COA stating the tested values.
Need the full Certificate of Analysis, MSDS, or TDS for your formulation or tender file?
Form & Solubility
Form: available as a 60–80 mesh black powder or a 2–4 mm black flake, at identical specification. Choose on handling: powder dissolves faster, flake generates no dust.
In water: fully soluble, no residue. As with all soluble grades, add under agitation rather than into still water.
Sodium: the defining characteristic. Held to 1% maximum and tested every batch. If your specification requires a tighter limit or a specific sodium declaration, tell us — it can often be accommodated on a programme basis.
pH: alkaline at 9.0–10.0. In hydroponic use this means it will raise solution pH, so plan your acid dosing accordingly.
Which potassium humate grade fits your process?
| Grade | Form | Humic acid | K₂O | Solubility | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potassium Humate Powder | 60–80 mesh powder | 60% min | 10% min | 100% | Fertigation, foliar, liquid fertilizer production |
| Potassium Humate Flakes | 2–4 mm flake | 60% min | 10–12% | 100% | Broadcast, fertigation, liquid production |
| Sodium-Free Potassium Humate (this product) | Flake or powder | 65% min | 15% min | 100% | Hydroponics, closed loops, saline–sodic soil |
| Potassium Humate Shiny Crystal | 1–2 / 2–4 mm crystal | 65% min | 10% min | 97% min | Premium soluble grades, retail packing |
| Big Shiny Flakes | 2–4 mm shiny flake | 50% min | 10–12% | 100% | Retail bagged product, visual premium grades |
| Compacted Granules | 2–4 mm oval granule | 40% min | 2–5% | 80% min | Base fertilizer, blending, broadcasting |
| Round Granule | 2–4 mm round granule | 40% min | 2–5% | 80% min | Base fertilizer, mechanised sowing |
Soluble grades (powder, flakes, crystal) dissolve for fertigation, foliar and liquid production. Granular grades (compacted, round) are built for soil placement, blending and mechanised sowing. Every grade ships with a batch COA and the same heavy-metal declaration (Pb, As, Hg, Cd, Cr below detection, GB 18877).
Applications & Dosage
Specified for situations where sodium is a genuine constraint:
| Application | How to use | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hydroponics and closed loops | Add to the nutrient solution where sodium would otherwise accumulate across a season. The grade to use when there is no leaching fraction. | 50–150 g per m³ |
| Saline–sodic soil reclamation | Apply alongside gypsum and leaching. Adds no sodium to ground that is already sodium-damaged. | 5–15 kg/ha per application |
| Sodium-sensitive crops | For stone fruit, nuts, berries and vines where leaf sodium accumulation is a yield and quality issue. | 3–8 kg/ha |
| Fertigation on marginal water | Where irrigation water already carries sodium, do not add more with the amendment. | 3–6 kg/ha per application |
| Premium foliar and liquid formulations | Use where a high-analysis, low-sodium humate supports a premium product claim. | 5–15% of formulation |
| Nursery and transplant production | Apply in the nursery where young plants are least tolerant of sodium. | 0.5–1% solution |
Packaging & Storage
| Pack size | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 kg / 5 kg / 10 kg | Printed aluminium foil bag — retail and sample size |
| 20 kg / 25 kg | Woven PP bag with inner PE liner — standard export packing |
| 1000–1100 kg | Jumbo bag with discharge spout, 4 lifting loops |
| Custom | Private-label printed bag, OEM specification, retail sizes on request |
Storage: Store sealed in a cool, dry, ventilated place. Both forms are hygroscopic to some degree — the powder more than the flake — so reseal part-used bags and keep them off bare concrete.
Under dry conditions the material is stable for years with no change in analysis or solubility. Shelf life: 24 months in original, unopened packaging.
Custom packaging, private-label printing and OEM specifications are available on request. Packaging photos are available in the product gallery.
Successful Cases
Hydroponic tomato grower, Netherlands
Runs a closed system with no discharge, so everything added stays in the loop. Switched to sodium-free after tracking a steady sodium climb across successive seasons with a standard potassium humate — they were having to dump and recharge the system, which is both expensive and a compliance problem. On the sodium-free grade the drift is small enough to manage within their normal bleed schedule.
Explore potassium humate applications →
Agriculture · Hydroponics & Sodic Soil
Almond orchard, Australia
Applies through fertigation on ground with a sodic subsoil, alongside a gypsum programme. Their agronomist specifically ruled out standard humate because of the sodium content — reclamation work on sodic ground is undone by sodium inputs, and the premium is small compared with the cost of the gypsum programme it supports.
Explore potassium humate applications →
Full case studies with crop data are published in our application sectors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does standard potassium humate contain sodium?
Production economics and shared equipment. Sodium hydroxide is cheaper than potassium hydroxide, and plants making both sodium humate and potassium humate on the same line carry sodium across unless they are carefully segregated. Most suppliers do not declare sodium at all, because there is no obligation to. We test and report it on every batch.
How much sodium is in your standard grades?
We do not publish a guaranteed limit on standard grades because we do not control it to a specification there — if sodium matters to you, buy this grade, which is controlled and tested to 1% maximum. That is the honest answer rather than a reassuring guess.
Is this worth the premium for open-field use?
Usually not. On open-field ground with normal rainfall or adequate leaching, sodium does not accumulate to a damaging level, and standard grades do the same job for less money. Where it pays is closed systems, sodic soils, sodium-sensitive perennials, and situations where your irrigation water already carries sodium. If you are unsure, describe your system and we will tell you plainly.
Will it raise the pH of my nutrient solution?
Yes — the product is alkaline at pH 9.0–10.0. In hydroponics, plan your acid dosing around it, particularly at higher inclusion rates. Most growers find the effect manageable and predictable once they have measured it in their own water.
Can I get it in flake form?
Yes. Both the 60–80 mesh powder and the 2–4 mm flake are produced to the same 65% humic acid, 15% K₂O, sub-1% sodium specification. Choose on handling — powder for dissolution speed, flake for dust-free dosing.
Also Available in This Family
Extruded Potassium Humate Granules – 2–4 mm, 60% Humic Acid, 100% Soluble
Potassium Humate Round Granule – 2–4 mm, 40% Humic Acid, 80% Soluble
Compacted Potassium Humate Granules – 2–4 mm Oval, 40% Humic Acid
Potassium Humate Big Shiny Flakes – 50% Humic Acid, 80% Organic Matter
Potassium Humate Shiny Crystal – 65% Humic Acid, 1–2 / 2–4 mm
Potassium Humate Flakes – 60% Humic Acid, 2–4 mm, 100% Soluble
Potassium Humate Powder – 60% Humic Acid, 100% Water SolubleNeed a quotation or a sample?
Tell us your application, target market and packaging — we will come back with specification, price and lead time.
